“Communiversity” is a vision of the ways in which institutions of higher learning and the cities, towns, and counties that serve as their homes can and should work together to ensure the viability and vibrancy of their shared communities.

Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D
President of Rensselaer

Connected Kids Project

Connected Kids is a collaborative effort by Rensselaer, the City of Troy, Rensselaer County, the Troy and Lansingburgh public schools, and numerous youth-services organizations to develop a youth-services information system for Troy, Rensselaer County, and the entire Capital Region. The system includes a searchable database and World Wide Web interface providing access to information about programs and activities for children and their families and multimedia content developed by and for children.

Rensselaer students contribute to the programming, the interface design, and the multimedia content and also extend access to the database by maintaining computing and networking equipment for children and senior citizens at the Troy Housing Authority.

Connected Kids is supported by the National Science Foundation, the 3Com Urban Challenge Program, the City of Troy, Rensselaer County, the Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences and Science, and the numerous departments and divisions that donate computing and networking equipment for use by low-income, limited-access populations.

As part of the celebration of Black History Month, Rensselaer joins community leaders across the nation urging families to participate in the fast-moving world of technology. The week focuses on the importance of technology in everyday life and opportunities for the future. Rensselaer’s event includes a grand prize give-away of a new computer.